Using a strong second quarter, the Cerritos College women's basketball team opened up a double-digit lead against host Santa Monica College on Wednesday. The Falcons (2-2) were able to hold off the Corsairs (2-3) and posted a 66-54 win. Cerritos returns home for their next two games and will host Southwestern College at 5:00 p.m. on Friday.

After a 14-14 first quarter, the Falcons started to pull away in the second quarter, with freshman guard Genesis Salinas (Downey HS) getting things started with a three-pointer. Buckets by sophomore forward Francine Carrillo (Cerritos HS) and freshman guard Lauryn Nakamura (Cypress HS) made it a 22-16 advantage, with freshman forward Jazzmin Briggs (Lakewood HS) converting a three-point play with 6:38 left in the half to open a 25-19 lead.

In the final 5:52 of the half, Cerritos outscored Santa Monica, 10-3, with sophomore Jayden Estrada (Anaheim HS) knocking down a three-pointer and freshman Mia Avalos (Pioneer HS) converting another three-point play to help open a 40-26 advantage at intermission.

The lead swelled to 20 points (51-31) when Estrada hit three consecutive three-pointers in the third quarter. Freshman guard Salma Garcia (Downey HS) followed with a pair of free throws, with Estrada converting on a pair of jumpers, as Cerritos opened up their largest lead of the game at 57-33 by the end of the third quarter.

Santa Monica went on a 17-2 run in the fourth quarter and closed to within 63-52 until Salinas slowed them down with a long distance three-pointer with 2:09 remaining. 

Estrada led the team with 18 points, thanks in part to four three-pointers, while Nakamura added 13 points, seven rebounds, seven steals and five assists in the win. Salinas scored all nine of her points on three-pointers and also contributed four rebounds, three assists and three steals, with Garcia (five assists, five steals) and freshman guard Natalie Poppin (La Habra HS) both recorded seven points.